Lady in the Water
by Dorkylokifan
Summary: Thor is entranced by the blue beauty bathing in the waterfall. Her voice is like an angel and she has the body of a goddess. But things go horribly wrong from the beginning and Thor finds that he must fight to protect her from the last person he expected. Himself. Odin is an insane dick. Slave Loki. F/M Thorki. Hot sex and smut. Warning: Gut wrenching ending! Thunderfrost. FemLoki.
1. Chapter 1

"Do you hear that?" Fandral says to Thor.

"Hear what my friend?" Thor says.

"I think….I think I hear a maiden singing." Fandral says without conviction.

"Of course YOU would hear a maiden singing out here in the middle of nowhere." Sif teases.

"I hear it too." Hogun says. They all bring their horses to a halt to listen. They are on the outskirts of the dark forest, at the base of Mt. Vanhilda, which is just a day's ride from Asgard. They are on a hunting trip. Ever so faintly, on the wind, a beautiful voice is heard by the group.

"Lad I do believe you are right." Volstagg exclaims.

"What would a maiden be doing all the way out here? There is nothing in this area except wild animals and criminals hiding from the law." Thor thinks out loud.

"You are aware that women are fully capable of being thieves as well as hunters?" Sif admonishes him. Thor gives the lady warrior a cheesy smile.

"It sounds like it is coming from the creek near our usual camp ground. We should investigate." Fandral says.

"Surely you can survive a few days of hunting without rutting between some whores legs." Sif says to him. Thor looks between Fandral and Sif and their rising sexual tension. Those two seriously just need to fuck each other already.

"I am curious as well. Let us go see who our little song bird might be." Thor says to end the argument. The voice is beautiful and Thor can't help but wonder at the beauty of its owner. They reach their camp spot, but instead of setting up, they tie off their horses and follow their ears to the little creek nearby. There is a pond and a small water fall on the bedrock there. It is a place only known to a handful of people. The group makes their way stealthily through the brush as the beautiful song upon the air gets louder and louder. They all quickly dart behind some trees when they spy who the woman is. Well, more accurately, WHAT the woman is. It is plain as day from her cerulean skin that she is a frost giant, though her size suggests that she is just a child for that species. She is bathing in the icy creek water that is flowing with the spring snow melt from the mountain above. Though there are patches of snow still dotting the landscape this time of year, flowers have already sprouted here and there, giving a stark and stunning contrast.

Upon closer examination everyone realizes that she is not a child but a runt. Small for her species her full breasts and wide hips show she is fully adult and capable of bearing children. They know this because she is naked and on display as she stands beneath the little waterfall. Her voice is so lovely, it is haunting. The song she is singing is filled with longing and desire for home. It echoes off the rocks as she scrubs her skin in an absentminded fashion. Her long raven hair ends just at the top of her firm round hind end.

They all quietly admire her from their hidden position, listening to her sing. Even Sif who would normal object to spying on a naked woman cannot pull her eyes away. She is smitten too. Yet in spite of their mutual affection for this gorgeous creature, they all have the same questions playing on their lips. How did she get here? Who is she? What is she doing in Asgard (besides bathing)? Relations between Asgard and Jotunnheim have been very strained of late. There is talk of war. If the Allfather and King Laufey cannot come to some agreement soon, this beautiful creature would become an enemy. Under a proclamation of war, Thor and his friends would be required to slay the lovely lady for her trespassing. She could very well be a spy. The lady finishes her bathing and stops her singing. She steps out of the water onto the bank on the other side of the creek to find her clothes. Thor and the others look to one another. They will make themselves known after she has dressed, to protect her dignity. But that plan falls by the wayside as the sounds of breaking twigs and limbs alerts the warriors that there is something behind them. Thor turns round to see a gigantic ice bear face to face. Thor feels its spittle and hot breath as it roars. Thor tries to bash its head in with Mjolnir on instinct, before hauling ass out of the trees. Holy Shit! The other warriors manage to get a few good stabs into the beast's side before they turn tail and run as well. The injuries only succeed in pissing off the monstrous mammal. It charges them. They quickly regroup on the bank of the creek and turn to fight the beast when the lady from the water leaps on the bear's back.

Her whole left forearm is now encased in ice and has an ice sword protruding from it. She stabs the great beast straight through the neck. It thrashes violently and knocks her to the ground. She stands quickly to defend herself, only to be knocked down one more time as the bear swats her in the head during its death throes. The bear is dead. The lady is lying on the ground. She has a large gash on her right shoulder and she is unconscious.

The warriors all stand there dumbly for a moment looking at each other. Did that just happen? They are all still panting from the utter shock at being snuck up on by such a large animal. If her singing hadn't distracted them, they would have noticed. Thor is the first to snap out of his daze. The lady is wounded and needs assistance. Thor removes his great red cape and wraps her in it. Hogun snatches up the ladies belongings to take with them. Thor carries her back to their campsite where their supplies are located. Volstagg pulls out the medicine bag from his saddlebag. It will help stem the bleeding and patch her up temporarily, but she needs big medicine, and that can only be found back at the palace. Volstagg can feel the large knot that has formed on the back of her head.

"Her shoulder will heal. It is the head injury that concerns me. It may be nothing, or it could kill her. We must get her to the soul forge to know for sure, and save her if needed." He states.

"Aye." Thor says as the others nod in agreement. They make quick work of wrapping up her injuries. Thor makes the decision to fly her to the palace. It will be much faster than by horseback.

"Stay behind and carve up that carcass. Tomorrow night we will feast on bear meat." Thor says before taking off with one hand on his hammer the other cradling his sleeping beauty. It takes a little over an hour, but it is still faster than traveling on horseback. He lands right in front of the kitchens, which is near the healing rooms. He strides through the servant corridors straight to Lady Eir.

When the golden prince marches into the room, Lady Eir immediately orders him to lay her on the soul forge. Healers swarm from all corners of the room to assess the foreign creature. They remove the blood soaked bandaging from her shoulder and begin the work of patching her up.

"How is she?" Thor asks pensively.

"Her skull is fractured. If you had taken any longer to get here she would have been beyond our reach. Who is she?" The healer asks.

"I don't know. My comrades and I happened upon her in the forest. An ice bear came. It surprised the hell out of all of us. The damn beast almost killed me. She leapt onto its back and slayed the mighty beast all by herself." Thor says with both embarrassment and amazement. A small smile plays at his lips as he remembers watching the agile blue lady run the monster through in all her naked glory. Thor has to stop his own thoughts as he realizes things below are starting to stiffen. "Will she recover?" Thor asks.

"I'd like to know that as well." Odin booms as he enters the room. His demeanor is serious. Thor feels a dark chill run up his spine.

"Yes Allfather, I am confident she will make a full recovery. It will take a day of sleep and rest to mend her injuries before she rouses." Lady Eir explains. Odin steps close to the table to exam her. He can feel the power emanating from her. She is a great wielder of seidr magic, which makes her dangerous.

"As soon as you are done with your ministrations, you will bind her." Odin commands.

"Father why? She saved my life and that of my friends." Thor reacts.

"We don't know anything about her or who she is. She could be a spy, and I can sense that she is a powerful witch. I want to know how she managed to sneak into Asgard undetected. Until I have my answers she is to be treated as a prisoner. Is that clear?" Odin states rather than asks.

"Yes Father." Thor says quietly.

"Good. The negotiations with Jotunnheim are not going well. I expect an announcement of war any day. She is not to be trusted my son." Odin says most seriously. "Inform me the moment she awakens." Odin announces as he leaves the room. Thor stands there starring after his father. He understands his father's reasons for being so cold, but that doesn't mean he has to like them. He looks back at the slumbering maiden on the table and wonders how such a beautiful creature could possibly be a threat?


	2. Chapter 2

Loki awakens in a fog. Her head hurts and she can't seem to focus her vision. She doesn't know where she is or how she got there. The last thing she remembers was seeing a group of men come running from the tree line screaming like frightened children and then….the bear. She moans in pain.

"Stay still child, you have suffered a grave injury." Lady Eir says.

"Where am I?" Loki asks.

"You are in the healing rooms of the Valholl. Thor brought you here. He said you killed a great ice bear single handed. You impressed him I think. What is your name child?" Lady Eir asks.

"I am Loki." She says groggily.

"Well Loki, I think you will survive. Your wounds are healing well, but I would not try to sit up just yet if I were you." She says. Loki smirks at that. Now that she is awake she can just heal herself. But when Loki reaches out to her magic she cannot find it. That is when she notices a weight around her neck.

"Why….what is this?" Loki says with panic in her voice.

"I'm sorry Loki. It is a precaution ordered by the Allfather. He has some questions for you. Tell me, how did you come to be in our lands?" The healer asks. Loki's mind races. If the Allfather had the sense to put the binding collar on her then he must know what a powerful mage she is. He'll know of the inter-dimensional spells that can be used to walk between one realm to another. Odin in fact is single handedly responsible for the slaughter many of the mages that used to have this knowledge. He has fought to keep a monopoly on inter-realm travel with his Bifrost. He'll kill her for sure. Worse still, she has already given the healer woman her real name. They'll figure out she is Princess Loki, only daughter of King Laufey and third in line for the throne of Jotunnheim. Her capture will undermine her father in their negotiations for sure.

"I arrived on a trade ship. I come to Asgard every early spring to stay in the mountains. It is a lovely vacation spot. There is a creek with a beautiful waterfall and tasty fish." Loki lies. Most of that is the truth actually. She loves that spot in the woods and has in fact been going there for several years during the winter and early spring. This was going to be her last visit for the season. She should have stayed home, but the increased tensions between Asgard and Jotunnheim meant that her little parlor trick of walking between realms is now a true tactical advantage for the Jotunn army. That is, if she had not been caught. The fear of capture is what kept Loki from exploring the area beyond the forest, before now. She was going to do some intelligence gathering in the area before heading home. Unlike previous years, Loki has now mastered illusions well enough to change her appearance to Aesir. She could have blended in. She could have learned more about Aesir society and customs. She might have even found a way to prevent the war if given enough time and a little luck.

Loki is shaken from her thoughts by a loud voice. "My lady!" Thor booms loudly and with a big smile. He is glad to see she has recovered. It is only now that Loki notices the state of her undress. She is only being covered by a very thin white sheet. She covers her breasts instinctively, though there would be nothing she could do in this moment if this man wanted to ravish her. Loki feels incredibly vulnerable.

"My Lady. I am so glad you are awake. I wanted to thank you for your assistance and for dispatching that bear for me and my comrades. We feared for your life, and justly so. You sustained quite a head injury. How do you feel?" Thor asks excitedly.

"I'm in pain, but I will recover." She says flatly. She spies Mjolnir hanging from Thor's hip and recognizes him immediately. So this is the idiot that went screaming like a girl from the hairy beast. The Great and Power Thor, what a joke!

"What is your name my lady? Thor asks with a smile.

"Loki." She says quietly.

"My Lady Loki, I am Thor, Prince of Asgard and heir to the throne of Asgard. I am honored to meet you. You have the voice of an angel." He says.

"Wait….What? How long were you hiding in the tree line?" Loki asks as she narrows her eyes at him. A guilty look overcomes Thor's face as she realizes that he saw her naked.

"Lecher!" She hisses at him. If she had the energy she would sit up and slap him!

"No my lady, it was not like that. I swear it! We were drawn to your beautiful singing voice and…." Thor is cut off by the arrival of his father.

"Enough Thor! You do not need to explain yourself to a Jotunn runt!" Odin says rudely. Loki's blood freezes in her veins at the sight of Odin. The look upon his face is cruel and greedy. Suddenly Thor seems like a really nice guy.

"Who are you trespasser, and how is it you managed to sneak into my lands?" Odin demands. Loki tries to lie to him.

"I am Loki. I came by trade ship to visit your beautiful winter mountain. I didn't mean any harm."

"Loki? Princess Loki?" Odin asks.

"No Allfather. I am not she. Loki is a common name upon my world. I am just a Jotunn runt." She knows it is a pathetic lie, but hopes the Allfather is a fool. He's not.

"A frost giantess runt of the same age as Princess Loki possessing extensive magical training that only the wealthiest of families can afford? I think not. You will pay for lying to me girl, as will your father King Laufey." Odin touches the collar around Loki's neck and chants another spell upon it. On top of subduing Loki's own magic and restraining her ability to call upon the withering touch, Odin has now robbed her of the ability to lie to him.

"Answer my question again. Are you Princess Loki?"

"Yes Allfather." Loki states. She feels the compulsion like a kick in the gut.

"How did you manage to get into Asgard?"

"I can walk between the realms using my magic."

"Ah HA! I knew it! Count yourself lucky that you are a princess and a valuable bargaining chip, or I would kill you right now. Using that spell to enter Asgard is illegal and punishable by death." Odin says with venom as he peers down at his captive.

"What are you going to do with me?" Loki asks with a voice full of fear.

"That will depend on how much your father values you, I think." Odin says and then turns to Lady Eir. "Keep her confined here to this room until I return." Then Odin leaves the healing hall. Loki bursts into tears and Thor moves towards her in an attempt to comfort her. But Loki doesn't want him anywhere near her. He is responsible for all of this. If only she had turned tail and ran instead of helping this brute! Hot tears stream out of her eyes and down her temples, collecting in her hair.

"Just….just go away." She sobs. Thor pulls his hand back and looks at her sullenly. He did this. He did this to her. Thor respects her request and leaves the hall with a guilty conscience.

XxXxXxXx

Odin returns to his chambers and writes a long letter to King Laufey. He accuses Laufey of sending his youngest child to spy on Asgard and even to attempt his assassination. He calls the girl horrid insulting names and ultimately demands that Laufey secede all the disputed agricultural lands to Asgard or he will toss Laufey's precious only daughter into the army barracks with the solders and let every one of them use her as their whore.

"Odin my husband, what are you writing?" Frigga asks gently. She smiles brightly and lovingly at him, but it is a false smile. Frigga knows Odin's grip on reality has been waning in recent years. She has tried to coax him into abdication and letting Thor ascend to the throne, but Odin's paranoia won't allow it. Odin has become distrustful of even his own beloved son, and Frigga fears for her family.

"I've got him Frigga! I've got Laufey by the hair! He will have no choice but to concede to all of my demands when he reads this!" Odin says with a wild gleam in his one eye. If frightens Frigga. The spark of insanity she sees there. But she doesn't ever show it.

"That is wonderful news my husband. Let us feast tonight with bear meat from Thor's successful hunt. We will revel in the victory of our negotiations tomorrow." Frigga lies. She eyes the envelope wearily and knows its contents will lead to war. Frigga decides to consult her weavings to see if there is any hope for the future of her people and that of Jotunnheim. Frigga knows that he will only get worse. He needs to die, but Frigga cannot bring herself to assassinate the man she loves.

Odin calls for a messenger to take the letter to Heimdall, so it may be delivered to King Laufey. Frigga kisses her husband gently on the head and then walks back to her crafts room to her loom. She pulls out her enchanted thread and weaves a tapestry for war. What it shows her fills her with dread. Over and over again Thor dies and Odin lives only to decimate the populations of both lands for the sake of vengeance in Thor's name. She studies it intensely for hours until she finds a single thread. There is one scenario in which Thor lives and Odin dies and peace reigns within both lands. It is the last scenario that she considered for it requires Frigga…..to do nothing. Frigga must not interfere in the coming events what so ever. Any attempt on her part to save her son, will in fact doom him to a terrible fate. In this thread of fate Thor faces terrible pain, but lasting happiness; and at the heart of it is the innocent girl recovering in the healing hall.

**So what are your thoughts on the plot. Anything you want to see or don't want to see?**


	3. Chapter 3

The following afternoon Odin receives a reply from Jotunnheim. It is a formal declaration of war. They accuse Odin of pettiness, cruelty, and greed. They also question his sanity and vow vengeance for any harm that befalls their beloved princess. Odin calls a special audience and orders the citizens of Asgard to gather at the foot of the steps of the palace to hear the declaration. Odin gives a grand speech to rally the people to his cause and the people cheer their King, trusting his wisdom and that their warriors will earn glory in battle. Only Thor does not cheer these events. What will happen to the girl?

Thor turns on his heel to seek out his mother's counsel. He finds her hiding in her crafts room, working on some needle point.

"Mother, I worry about this war declaration. I fear father is making a grave mistake. He is fighting the frost giants over a piece of land that Asgard does not need, but means everything to them. Why is he picking this fight?" Thor asks her.

"You are a grown man now Thor. One day you will have to make these decisions, which means that you must learn to understand them. Understanding your father's motivations will teach you to be a better King."

"But I don't understand his reasoning!"

"Then it is high time you asked yourself why that is. Taking the crown means taking responsibility and making decisions. It is time you learned what is worth dying for, and what is worth killing for." Frigga says with a grim tone. Thor has never seen his mother like this. She is usually far more helpful. But he accepts that she wants him to stand on his own two feet and accepts her judgment.

"So be it. Perhaps there is another matter you can assist me with. Princess Loki. I fear what is to become of her. I fear father may do something cruel. Might you intervene on her behalf? I fear for her safety." Thor implores her. He tugs at his mother's heart strings and gives her the saddest eyes he can muster.

"Alas my son, there is nothing I can do on the girl's behalf. She is on her own." Frigga says coldly. Thor is taken aback. Never has she displayed such heartlessness. Frigga feels the bite in her words and wants to vomit. But she must stay out of this chain of events if Thor is to live. Things will work out as they are meant to, she tells herself.

"Very well." Thor says curtly and then turns to leave his mother's presence. He usually feels comforted by his mother, but instead he is sick with worry. Only he can protect her now. He feels a heavy weight inside his gut as he marches towards the healing hall. Thor looks around and is filled with alarm when he sees that Loki is no longer there.

"Where is she!" Thor booms at Lady Eir.

"She has been taken to be bathed and dressed, as ordered by your father." Lady Eir mumbles. She looks sick with guilt and self-disgust and Thor knows that there is more.

"And then where?" He asks. He glares at the healer and when she doesn't answer him he shouts at her. "AND THEN WHERE!"

"She is to be dressed as a concubine and taken to the soldier's quarters." Lady Eir squeaks the answer. Thor says nothing but turns and runs. He swings Mjolnir and flies across the royal gardens, the training grounds, and the arena to land at the front of the barracks. Cold dread fills Thor as he walks towards the common room. He can already hear the sexual taunts and lecherous comments from the crowd. He is frightened by what he might see when he views what is on the other side. He opens the door and walks in.

Loki is standing at the center of the room, her hands tied in front of her. She has just arrived and the Captain of the Guard is present the men with their new toy. The clothing she is wearing barely covers her breasts and the long skirt is slit up both legs exposing her thighs. It is plain she was not given underwear. The cheers of the men die down quickly, however, at the sight of their Crowned Prince. Some of the men mutter amongst themselves when they see their usually happy and smiling God sneering at them. The Captain of the Guard turns to address him.

"My Prince…..what a pleasant surprise! I was just presenting our new thrall to the men. The King has said…..that….." The Captain stops talking. The look Thor is giving him is murderous and the Captain gulps audibly. Thor cannot tell the men not to touch her. His father has declared her a thrall and by all rights, these men can fuck her to death if it pleases them. He cannot override his father, but he will put the fear of the God of Thunder into them.

"This woman saved my life." He says quietly, and then, for the second time in just three days Thor removes his red cape from off his shoulders and wraps it around Loki. Loki looks up at him with gratitude written clearly on her face. She is quite literally covered in the cloak of his protection. Thor walks slowly around the room glaring each and every man in the eye. The message is clear. Defile her at your peril. He reaches the door where he entered, looks back over the room one last time, and walks out. No one makes a sound. They just look at her. What the hell are they going to do with a sex slave that they can't fuck?

XxXxXxXxXx

Days go by as Odin and Thor are stuck in the War room discussing strategy and tactics. Thor relies on his friends to check on Loki's welfare. Loki has been relegated to scrubbing chamber pots, serving food, polishing boots, and being groped by every wandering hand that she walks by. But none dare molest or penetrate her. Sif hates visiting the barracks. She knows what happens to unfortunate women here, but is powerless to do anything about it. To speak ill of the practice is to speak ill of the judgment of the King.

It is evening and Loki has finished serving the evening meal, having been tripped more than once by the men in the hall. Her knees are covered in bruises from all the falls. Sif pulls Loki into a quiet corner to ask her how she is faring.

"I am well considering my circumstances. I know my fate would be far worse had Thor not intervened on my behalf." Loki says politely.

"That doesn't mean you are doing well. Have any of them hurt you?" Sif asks. Loki understands what she is referring to.

"No. My virtue is still intact. My pride and dignity have been gravely wounded, but I can survive humiliation." Loki says resolutely.

"I wish there were a way I could ease your burden." Sif says.

"Sing with me." Loki says.

"Sing?"

"Yes. Singing always comforts me and I have not done it for days, not since I came to this place." Loki says.

"What would we sing?" Sif asks.

"Do you know the Ferryman's Tale?" Loki asks.

"Yes, it is a sad song filled with heartache. It is also rather long." Sif says.

"Aye. It fits my mood. Sing with me." They begin. They sing quietly at first mostly to themselves. But Loki has a powerful voice that cannot be restrained. She closes her eyes and takes it away as the lyrics invokes images of water, mist, maidens, and lonely sad men longing for their lost loves. It is a bard's tale, and to sing the full version in its entirety takes a full 20 minutes. Loki doesn't notice when Sif stops singing. Sif would much rather listen to Loki's silver voice than try to match it poorly with her own.

When Loki finishes she opens her eyes and notices something she did not expect. All the men, about 75, are gathered around her. They stopped talking long ago and there is not a dry eye among them. It is not until she looks at them that they are shaken from her spell and they all get up and go back to their carousing. Many of the men clear their throats and mutter manly things.

"I think you just found your niche." Sif says. Loki nods. She could live with being their little song bird, so long as they keep their pricks away from her. "Stay safe." She adds as she hugs Loki and then departs. She looks for Thor to tell him how Loki is fairing. She catches him just as he is leaving the war room for the day. He looks worried.

"Thor, I just visited Loki. She is well, all things considered. The men have not touched her out of respect and fear of you." She says.

"Good. I must find a way to get her away from that place. It is only a matter of time before some fool gets drunk and decides to take his pleasure on her."

"A night visit to the men in that barracks would serve to remind them of your threat, and you would get to hear Loki sing again." Sif says.

"She sang tonight?" Thor asks.

"Yes Thor. It was beautiful. All the men stopped what they were doing and listened to her. When she sings a song of such deep sadness and longing it makes my heart break. You should have seen how the men tried to hide their tears when she was finished. An entire company of Asgard's best warriors reduced to a blubbering sobbing mess." She exaggerates. Thor smiles at the image. He also feels a pang of jealousy in his chest. Thor wants to keep her sweet song all to himself. The rabble of the lower ranks are underserving of her loveliness.

"Father wants a regiment to occupy the disputed land. It will be long drawn out months of occupation, which means there will be a contingent of volunteer servants, as well as slaves working the encampment for the day to day chores." Thor says.

"You mean to take Loki with you to the battlefield." Sif says in realization. "But what if she escapes while there?"

"Would that be such a terrible thing?" Thor says seriously.

"Thor, I like Loki. I really do. But she is the enemy right now. Gifting back the princess to Jotunnheim could be disastrous. She's seen the inner workings of our army and our defenses. She knows how many men we have and the weapons we use. They have her polishing armor. She's studying it's weaknesses I'm sure. I know I would. Be careful that you do not sacrifice many Asgardian lives for the sake of hers."

"I understand Sif, and I appreciate your council." Thor says genuinely. Thus far she has been the only one to give him sound advice since this whole debacle began.

"One more thing Thor, if Loki accompanies the unit where will she sleep? She won't be allowed in the soldier's tent. She's a security risk. We can't leave her in the slave quarters with the others, she'll be violated for sure. And we can't house her with the servants."

"She'll be sleeping in my tent Sif."

"Ah."


	4. Chapter 4

** Lots of Boring Plot stuff this chapter, sorry. Small little payoff at end of chapter though. As always I am a review whore. Let me know what you think! **

Thor arrives at the barracks early to collect Loki and shuffle her in with the rest of the slaves for transport. He gives her more conservative attire to wear to help protect her modesty. Unfortunately, her blue skin makes her stick out like a sore thumb. Thor tells her to hide in the back of the crowd and look at her shoes. He does not want Odin to notice her as they gather on the Bifrost. In fact Thor has made a point to avoid bringing up Loki in conversation at all in the hopes that his father has forgotten her. It would seem he has. He hasn't mentioned her since the day of the war declaration.

They go in groups, transporting men, equipment, supplies, and weapons. They touch down on the small moon which is in dispute. It is a very tiny moon but it has a breathable atmosphere and normal gravity. It is a cold moon, though warm compared to Jotunnheim. Thor can see why the Jotunns would find it appealing. What he can't understand is why his father wants it. It poses no logistical or strategic advantage or threat to Asgard. The place where they land is a wide open plain as far as the eye can see. Though completely exposed, it also means that no one can sneak up on them. The land is flat. Any army gathering to march on their position would be seen from miles away. It also means that there is nowhere to escape to, so their compliment of slaves, including Loki cannot run. What would be the point?

Since Jotunnheim does not have a Bifrost they must use space ships to ferry their army to this place. They would have also had to evacuate the people that were living here by the same method. According to Heimdall, the residents left two days ago. Now it is a war of occupation. They will dwell in the land and wait for Jotunnheim's forces to arrive and attack. Odin has Asgard's fleet orbiting the moon to intercept their ships. The real battle will be on Jotunnheim where Odin is going. He is taking the bulk of the army there to fight King Laufey. Thor and his men may be here for a long time waiting for an attack that may never happen.

The slaves are put to work doing the really heavy lifting as the servants set up and prepare the kitchen. Large tents are erected to house the soldier's sleeping quarters. Smaller tents are set up for the higher ranking soldiers. Thor gets a large tent to himself since he is the prince. Many larger comforts are brought along that Thor usually has to go without. He has an actual bed, for now. The war could steal it from him at a moment's notice. Thor has no illusions of living the next several months in such comfort. At some point this whole place will get burned to the ground. For tonight he can rest his head on a pillow and sleep well for the first time in weeks knowing that Loki is safe in his tent beside him.

At the end of the day everyone is tired. The camp is set up and the evening meal is served. The soldiers are served first, followed by the servants. The slaves eat last and are only given whatever is left. Thor makes sure to set aside some of his food for Loki. He knows they will not give her much. Loki finally sits down to take a bite of her meal when the men in the chow hall start chanting. "Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing!" A couple of the men grab her by the arms and drag her front and center. The men want to be entertained.

Loki looks out at the crowd of men. For the first time, Thor is there watching her sing and for some reason it makes her nervous. She shouldn't be, for once her breasts aren't threatening to fall out of her bodice. Again, thanks to Thor for giving her something decent to wear. He gave her pants and a white baggy tunic to hide her form, though the ensemble does nothing to hide her loveliness. Loki sings a happy tune. Her powerful voice fills the air and enchants all that hear her. At least the men are sober tonight. No ale or mead rations allowed. Loki sings for well over an hour before Thor puts an end to it and the Captain of the Guard issues patrol rotations. Loki returns to the table to find her plate of food only to find that it is gone. One of the other slaves or servants had collected it during clean up. Loki stomach growls loudly in protest.

"Come with me." Thor says to her as he grabs her by the arm. He is not forceful, but he is firm. He walks at a calm pace towards his private tent. Loki swallows hard as a sliver of anxiety festers into a roaring fire with each step they take. Thor pulls the flap back and they duck inside. The inside of his tent looks….homey. There are two large tables and several chairs. There are a couple of chests that hold maps, important papers and other administrative supplies. There is a weapons rack and a pile of armor in the corner. There is even a real bed. It is just large enough to hold the golden god, and a small blue female. It is piled high with a giant mountain of warm furs and suddenly Loki is very tired. She has been sleeping on straw and concrete for days. But her anxiety is keeping her alert. What if Thor's kindness and charity comes with a price?

Loki turns to look at the Heir of Asgard. There is an awkward pregnant pause, until it is interrupted by Loki's growling stomach.

"Oh! Here." Thor says as he reaches into his satchel and pulls out a handkerchief. Within it is a giant chunk of roasted boar and three large dinner rolls. He hands it to Loki with a gentle smile. "I thought you might be hungry."

"Thank you!" Loki says around a mouth full of food. Dignity and manners be damned! She's starving! She sits at one of the tables and devours her dinner. Thor takes the opportunity to finally speak to her.

"I am sorry for all of this. You are only here because you fought to protect me and my friends. My father can be rather cruel, especially to his enemies, though he has become more so in recent years. I fear the weight of the crown has made him bitter." Thor looks at Loki who is still chewing but listening intently. "I would like to know more about you. Who you are and what your life on Jotunnheim is like. I still hold hope than another solution to this dispute can be found, and that perhaps bloodshed might still be avoided." Thor says. Loki continues chewing her food but does not respond. She simply gives him the look that she is listening, quietly encouraging him to continue speaking. "My friends and I were out hunting for bilgesnipe that day. We were not expecting the ice bear at all. That one came out of hibernation rather early…though…it was an early spring this year. We ate the meat of the bear you killed at dinner the next night. I felt wrong eating it while you did not share in the meal, but you were still recovering I think."

Loki chews slowly as she listens to Thor speak. A millions questions are running through her mind. The first and foremost being, 'Why is Asgard at war with Jotunnheim in the first place?' She has looked at it from every angle and nothing makes sense, until she thinks of Odin himself. There Loki was, a princess of Jotunnheim captured in Asgard. Why did Odin not force her to marry his son? Political marriages are always more fruitful and bloodless than war. Perhaps the Allfather thinks that interbreeding between their species is not possible. Or perhaps the thoughts of a half-Jotunn grandchild disgusted him. What does Asgard want with this tiny little moon? It is too cold for Asgardian crops, but perfect for the growth of Jotunn crops. The minerals that are plentiful here are not very rare or valuable. Odin must be insane.

Loki then considers Thor. Thor is a sweet man. This much she can tell. He is not like his father. She can also tell that Thor both loves and fears his father. How much insanity and injustice is Thor willing to stomach from his father before he finally snaps? Lastly, what are going to be the sleeping arrangements in this tent? Loki swallows her last bite of food before speaking.

"Thor, what are your intentions towards me?" She asks pointedly.

"I don't know. I find you enchanting. If circumstances were different I would court you. But after all that you have suffered I hold no illusions about a possible future between us. You must hate me."

"You're a sweet man Thor, but you are not very bright or perceptive."

"You do not hate me?"

"No I do not hate you. BUT that does not mean I am eager to be your whore either. Where am I to sleep?"

"The furs on the bed are primarily for you. I brought along as many as I could find so that you might be comfortable."

"Well…that does explain that huge mound. I know Aesir are far more sensitive to the cold than Jotunns, but I thought that all of those were for you." They both giggle at the small admission.

"Come, let us retire." He says gently. They walk over to the bed and pull off the furs, leaving only a few for Thor. Loki makes a nest of sorts for herself on the floor near Thor's bed. When Thor is confident that Loki is comfortable, Thor extinguishes all the torches and candles and tucks into bed.

"Good night My Lady."

"Good night, My Great Bilgesnipe Hunter."


	5. Chapter 5

The following morning Loki slowly awakens to the sounds of Thor dressing for the day. She lounges there on the furs with her eyes closed listening to the sounds. Compared to how she'd been treated, this feels practically luxurious. It certainly beats the hell out getting a hard smack on her ass or a fondled breast each dawn, as had become customary. It is not until she hears a loud click and a heavy weight around her ankle that she becomes very alarmed.

"What are you doing!" She cries.

"I'm sorry Loki it is both for your safety and ours. I cannot risk you escaping, as remote a possibility as that is, nor will I be able to think clearly fearing for your safety from my own men all day. It is safest for you to remain here in my tent." Thor locks the end of the long chain around the beam holding up the center of the tent. "Forgive me." He says and then walks out of the tent.

Loki is furious. Damn him! Loki has visited this moon numerous times and had at least three hiding places in mind that she could run to. They are all a great distance away, but Loki has faith in herself. She was going to run after figuring out the gaps and weaknesses in their patrols. She needs to get her collar off and get her magic back. Now she is stuck here. What the hell is she going to do all day?

Thor returns several minutes later with several items in hand. He carries with him enough food to feed Loki for three meals, a bucket of water, and a bar of soap.

"There is a chamber pot and a washing basin tucked under my bed. I have brought you provisions to sustain you through the day since I do not know the hour when I will return. There are a couple of books in the brown chest in the corner there, if you like. I will return to you as soon as I can." Thor sets down the items and then ducks out.

Loki stares after Thor for a moment. '_I will return to you as soon as I can_.' He'd said it with such endearment, like he is accountable to her somehow. The way one might speak to their wife. Thor has given Loki pause to think about something. The simplest solution to this whole mess is for Odin to die and for Thor to become King of Asgard. It is clear to Loki Thor is not bloodthirsty like his father. However, since Odin is worlds away from Loki's reach, she needs to plot another solution well within her grasp. If Odin does not die in battle, Thor would have to kill him. Since waiting for Odin to die of old age is not an option.

Getting Thor to Kill Odin is a spectacular problem. Thor loves his father, and Thor is a devoted family man. He is also firmly in denial about his father's mental faculties. The only way Thor is going to kill Odin is if Odin does something so horrific, Thor has no other choice. The question is what is Thor willing to kill for? Loki decides to take her time getting to know her jailer.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Thor returns to the encampment well after dark. He is dirty, sweaty, tired, and hungry. He also smells like he has been standing next to burning wood all day. A servant accompanies Thor into the tent with two more buckets of water in tow. The man the fetches a large plate of food for his prince and then replaces the full chamber pot in the tent with an empty one. The servant makes sneaky glances at Loki as he comes and goes. He spies the chain around her ankle and the large bed covered with layers of soft furs and jumps to a conclusion that is obvious in his eyes.

"Will there be anything else My Prince?"

"No, Hugo you may go."

Thor begins to undress himself to bathe away the filth of the day. The two buckets on the table are steaming with heat. Someone had taken the time to let them sit next to a fire to warm up. Loki grabs the bar of soap and a washcloth for Thor, and then pulls out the large washing basin from under the bed. It is little more than a large flat disk with shallow sides in which the bather stands in. It collects the bathing water to prevent mud puddles and helps keep the feet clean. Thor strips down to his undershorts. He elects to leave them on for the moment. He does not wish to embarrass Loki or cause her alarm.

"I…would ask that you turn around now." Thor says to her.

"Not yet. Let me help first." Loki says softly. She grabs a cup and dips into one of the buckets and gently pours it over Thor's hair. She dips it again and pours the warm water over his chest. She then grabs the washcloth and dips it into the water, before grabbing the bar of soap, working up a rich lather. She then starts scrubbing Thor's chest in small circles.

"What did you do today?" She asks him quietly, trying to make conversation. Loki's fingertips feel like they are emitting sparks. Thor's chest is soft yet firm and beautifully golden. His muscles twitch ever so slightly and Loki can see all the little muscle fibers ripple under the skin. She bites her lip and looks into his eyes.

"I wish I could tell you." He whispers to her. His cerulean eyes peer into her ruby ones and they both stop breathing. Loki finally blinks and starts working on Thor's left arm. "Did you read either of the books I mentioned today?" Thor asks.

"I did. The book of poetry was rather nice. I did not expect you to carry around something like that." Loki says as she scrubs his back.

"It is during times like this I find poetry most necessary. It reminds me of what makes life worth living. It reminds of me of what I am fighting for."

"What are you fighting for Thor? I do not understand why we are here."

"I wish I could say that I understand my father's reasoning. For now I do not. I can only assume there is some greater purpose which he has not made me privy to. I fight for my friends and comrades in arms. I fight for my family and the people I love." Thor confesses. Loki looks up into his eyes as she rounds his body, finishing his right arm.

"Let's wash your hair and face now. Close your eyes." Loki says gently. She gently works lather into his hair and uses the tips of her fingers and thumbs to wash Thor's face. Thor moans as his scalp is massaged. Loki dips the cup into the bucket again and rinses the soap out. It flows in white bubbly streams down Thor's torso, dripping into the basin.

"I will step outside so you can finish the rest." Loki says timidly. Her chain is just long enough for her to stand outside the door flap with the flap closed. The fresh cold air hits her in her face and Loki loves it. She hadn't realized how stuffy it was inside until now. There are a few soldiers here and there walking about the encampment. The stare at her openly as they walk by but Loki ignores them. She crosses her arms and looks up at the stars and wonders about her people, and her home.

The moment Loki is outside Thor strips off his undershorts only to find a burgeoning erection. She'd been too busy looking into his eyes to notice what was going on down below. Her touches had been both heavenly and hellish as Thor kept trying to think of every unsexy thing he could while she ran her hands over his body. Thor soaps up his hand and puts it to his cock. He needs to get this out of his system. He cannot go to bed with a raging hard on and an angelic Loki sleeping mere feet away. His resolve would crumble. He rubs one out quickly, biting his lip to stifle his moans. He washes the rest of his body quickly and then drains the used water in the basin back into the two buckets. His white creamy seed is diluted and camouflaged by the white soapy discharge. Praise the Norns.

When Thor is done dressing for bed he summons Loki back inside. He reaches to remove the furs from off the bed so that Loki can make her nest, but Loki grabs his hand and stops him.

"Would you like me to read some poetry to you?" She asks.

"Yes, I'd like that very much."

"Any one in particular?" She asks.

"Yes. Page 246 I think." Thor says. He lays down the bed. Loki sits on the edge of the bed beside him. Loki goes to the chest and pulls out the book. She'd only managed to read about half of it today.

"Lady in the Water." She reads the title. "Oh Lady in the Water, your blue scales shining bright…" Loki blushes as she reads. Thor smiles at her as she goes. The more she reads the more she realizes that Thor thinks of her when he thinks of this poem. "…and I shall never love another, my heart shall ever be, captured by the Lady of the Water, my beloved of the sea."

"That was lovely. Thank you Loki."

"Good night Thor."

"Good night Loki." Loki gets up and puts the book away. She arranges her furs upon the floor, extinguishes the torches and candles, and tucks into her spot. The room is pitch black.

"Loki?"

"Yes Thor."

"I found the Jotunn settlement today. It was abandoned. I burned it to the ground."

**As always I am a review whore. How is the dynamic working between these two. Let me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Thor repeats their routine. He arises before Loki and goes to the chow tent for breakfast, making sure to bring her back provisions. However, today Thor will remain in camp to oversee the construction of the outer wall. Fortification of their position continues and regular deliveries of timber are dropped through the Bifrost to aid in construction. Thor gives Loki a little time alone to bathe while he oversees his men. She dresses and then braids her long black hair into a thick rope, stealing a bit of twine to fasten it. She's all set and ready to go….nowhere.

Loki busies herself by tidying up little things here and there, but quickly runs out of things to do. She likes the poetry, but would rather save that for the evenings to read with Thor. The other book in Thor's chest is about field medicine and rendering first aid. It contains nothing Loki doesn't already know. Loki sits down on the edge of Thor's bed and gets lost in thought.

Thor confessed his barbaric actions to her knowing they would upset her, but told her anyway. He wants her to trust him. Which means on some level Thor trusts her. Loki is a little surprised by this. She hasn't really done anything to earn his trust, though she suspects it is his nature. He wasn't naïve or foolish enough to let her run around the camp though. She hates to admit it, but she respects him for putting the chain on her ankle. It was a practical thing to do. The news of the settlement being burned down left Loki with a fitful sleep. This is only the beginning. How long will she be able to act cordially towards Thor once he starts killing her countrymen? What will she do when Thor kills someone she knows? Someone she loves?

Loki shakes her head. She has much heartache ahead of her and with each passing day that she fails to make Thor see the lunacy of his father's decisions the more of her people that will die in battle. She can't just confront Thor on his father's mental acuity. He would simply ignore her words and dismiss her rant as something an enemy combatant would say. She can't tell Thor his father is crazy. She has to show him he is crazy. Once again Loki is in a unique position to stop this war.

Thor is smitten with her, that much is clear. Loki finds Thor attractive as well. He is good and honorable, to a fault. Betrayal is not Thor's style. Thor is not the type to plot a coupe against his own father. A political marriage to him would be the ideal solution. But Thor's father will clearly never allow it. A sane king would have chosen that path first once he realized who she was. The fact that Odin dismissed that option completely out of hand is telling enough. No Thor has to love her so much he is willing to fight for her. But even in this Loki has her doubts. Making Thor chose between the woman he loves and his father could backfire badly….unless it was more than her life at stake. Thor is a family man. He might not fight to protect her life alone, but he would defend his own offspring to the death.

Loki shivers at the realization of what she must do. She must risk herself body and soul to save her people from ruin. This could end so badly in a number of ways. Loki could become with child only to end up slain or abandoned. She could die in child birth or her child could, or both. Her child might be orphaned and then die of neglect or raised in an abusive household. Worst of all, even with the child inside her, Thor might still choose his father. That particular scenario would destroy Loki's heart. Loki has to bet everything she has on a happily ever after. She has to seduce Thor, make him fall in love with her, get pregnant, and then force a situation where Thor is forced to choose between killing Odin or watching Loki suffer and die. Worst of all, Loki has no time line on which to make this all happen. A battle between Thor's men and Jotunnheim could happen any second…or never.

Loki really wishes she had more intelligence on what is going on with the rest of Asgard's army. Has Asgard's army even set foot on Jotunnheim yet? Loki looks at the other chest in Thor's tent. The one where all the papers and correspondence are stored. Thor keeps it locked. Loki can't even summon ice to mold into the shape of the key. Damn Odin! Loki misses her magic so much.

The heavy chain around her ankle is starting to really chafe, as is the collar around her neck, but she knows Thor cannot remove that one. She needs to get out of this tent. She needs to observe the comings and goings of the men. She needs something to do besides sitting on her arse all day plotting ways to get Thor to knock her up.

A couple of hours go by and Loki becomes desperate to get out of her own head. She needs a distraction to protect her own sanity. She's beginning to worry herself to death. She is rescued when Thor walks back into the tent. His Captain of the Guard follows behind him, along with Sif and the Warriors Three. They all look at her as if suddenly realizing she is in here.

"Sif would you be so kind as to escort the prisoner outside and remain with her while we hold our discussion?"

"Yes My Prince." She says. Thor hands her the key to the ankle chain and Sif unlocks it, only to move the cuff up to one of her wrists. Another cuff appears and both of Loki's hands are bound in front of her. Loki sighs in frustration. Any hopes she had of the Asgardians letting their guard down go up in smoke.

Sif takes her outside and once again Loki is refreshed by the brisk air. To the Aesir this looks like a plain barren moon, to Loki, it looks like Hawaii. The green rolling fields of snow grass growing up heartily from the crust of permafrost is paradise to a frost giant. The temperature is like a warm spring day for her. Sif pulls her cloak tighter into her body as she shivers.

"Are you well?" Sif asks her.

"Yes. Thor takes very good care of me. He is very attentive." Loki says. Sif smiles at that.

"Thor has a good heart."

"Sif, why are we here? This whole war. I don't understand the purpose." Loki knows damn well the reason is because Odin has lost his marbles, but she wants to put the question out there to force Sif to openly think about it.

"I do not know, but it is not my place to question the Allfather's judgment." Sif says darkly. It is a politically correct response and Loki is having none of it.

"Do all Aesir follow orders so blindly?"

"It is not blindness, it is discipline." Sif counters.

"So if Odin ordered you to slay a group of unarmed Jotunn younglings would you do it?"

"The Allfather would never order his men to do something so barbaric and dishonorable." Sif says quietly and without conviction.

"Sif look at me. I am the princess of Jotunnheim, third in line to the throne, and a breedable runt of the right size for mating with your prince, and yet Odin never once considered a political marriage to avoid this war. Why? Why did he fan the flames of war by condemning me to the fate of a harlot?"

"I'm sure he had his reasons." Sif says but does not look Loki in the eye.

"Your King is old and senile and losing his grip on his sanity!" Loki yells.

"Enough! Thor should not have brought you here. You're a security risk and your overt attempts to undermine our King will be fruitless."

"Your King undermines himself. This war is wrong and you know it. We, none of us, should be here. You are a smart woman Sif. Open your eyes! Allow yourself to think the thoughts that you are afraid to. You of all people should have the courage to do it! How many innocent lives, Jotunn lives, Aesir lives will have to be lost before you demand a reason for all of this?"

"A good soldier does not question their superior officer." Sif repeats.

"Sooner or later Odin is going to order you to commit a terrible crime in the name of fealty. What will you do when that moment comes Sif? Think about it."

The pair stops walking and look around to avoid each other's gaze. The silence is painful and awkward and Sif practically jumps with eagerness when Thor and the others re-emerge from his tent. Thor strolls up the women with a small pleasant smile on his face. If he notices their frigid body language towards one another, he does not mention it.

"It is time for the midday meal, come." Thor says as he places his palm on the small of Loki's back. He guides her gently to sit beside him. Food is brought and Thor is embarrassed when Loki tries to feed herself with her hands still bound. The thought of feeding Loki her stew a spoonful at a time while surrounded by candles in an intimate setting pops into Thor's head.

"Key please." Thor says to Sif. She hands it over but Thor does not miss the disapproving look on her face. The cuffs snap open with a loud click.

"Thank you." Loki says softly. She would let her eyes linger longer on his handsome face if Sif weren't staring her down. Loki had taken a calculated risk in venting all of her thoughts out on Sif instead of directly at Thor. Just by virtue of Sif repeating everything Loki said to Thor will force both of the warriors to pause and think on her words. These people have had their heads in the sands regarding Odin long enough.

**As always I am a review slut. Let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

Loki follows Thor around the rest of the day as he directs the construction of the outer wall. Soldiers and slaves alike are working endlessly the erect a fort in the middle of nowhere. At the evening meal Loki sits beside Thor and is left alone to eat her meal. When she and most of the soldiers are done, the men beckon her to sing and so she does. She is bewitching some of the men. That much she can tell from their gazes. Others look even more eager to rape her than ever. She can see that in their eyes also. Some display pure disdain and distrust. Loki knows not to bother with winning that group over to her side. But all listen intently and let their minds wander as the mental images Loki paints inside their minds carries them away to more wonderful places than this.

Thor escorts Loki back to _their _tent. A servant has already taken the time to warm up two buckets of water for bathing and the chamber pot has been replaced. Loki saw the slave that was tasked with collecting and burning the camp feces and wonders, incidentally, what his offense was that earned him that particular honor.

"Thor, the other slaves I've noticed, most of them appear to be Aesir." She says with a question in her voice.

"Aye. Most of them are yes."

"Why do you enslave your own people?"

"They are criminals. We give them a choice. They can either serve their sentence in a cell in the dungeons or as a slave. The dungeons are more comfortable physically, but the solitary isolation and lack of activities can drive a man mad. Even criminals with very short sentences will choose 2 years of hard labor over the dungeons. Many who thought that they could survive solitary confinement often end up killing themselves or losing their sanity. Most choose hard labor, and for those with life sentences, the dungeons are an impossible option."

"But I noticed they are all men. Surely there are female criminals as well. What happens to them?" Loki asks. Thor looks her up and down and swallows hard before looking away.

"Thor? What happens to them?" Loki asks with horror in her voice. She already knows the answer, because it happened to her. A long silence follows before Thor looks at her again with both guilt and shame. It is not justice, what happens to the women. "I see."

In the past 48 hours Loki has made Thor analyze his society more closely than he has ever done in his the whole of his life. She is providing him with something he has never before experienced, an outsider's perspective. Loki is a mirror, and she is reflecting back every inequity that she sees. Thor feels sick with it. These policies are not his, they belong to his father, and yet he feels like he is failing Loki. He failed her before he ever met her. When he is finally King he can institute some changes.

"I do not agree with everything my father does. There are many things that I will change when I am King." He says resolutely.

"And when will that be?" Loki asks with baited breath.

"When my father finally breathes his last breath. My coronation will be his funeral." Thor says with apprehension. Loki bursts into tears. She feels worn out with worry. She doesn't know if she has the wherewithal to play this game. Thor's arms encircle her immediately. "I'm sorry." He says. He doesn't even know what he is apologizing for. They stand there holding each other as Loki's sobs slowly subside. She looks up into Thor's eyes. She is so vulnerable.

Thor tips his head down to kiss her. It is hesitant and filled with jagged breaths. Their fingers find their way into each other's hair and the kiss grows passionate and heated. Thor breaks the kiss abruptly.

"I'm sorry….I should not take advantage of you in your…position. It was wrong of me and unethical. I won't…"

"Kiss me you stupid oaf." Loki says as she cuts him off and claims his lips with hers. The kiss is good but lacks the fire the first one had. Again Loki senses Thor's hesitation. She breaks the kiss after a moment and says sweetly, "Bath time, and then after I will read you another poem."

Loki helps Thor out of his armor and like the night before she scrubs down his torso and washes his hair, though this time the stiffening member in his undershorts is noticed. She says nothing about it, electing to stand outside the front of the tent to give Thor privacy and take care of it. She wonders absently if he had one last night. After a while Thor beckons her back inside and they settle onto the bed for more poetry and then eventually fall asleep.

Their days repeat like this. Thor focuses on building up their fort and other defenses. Everyone in the camp is on edge, waiting for an attack that does not come. Word is received from Asgard. Odin has not yet invaded Jotunnheim, nor has Jotunnheim made a move of any kind. Each is waiting for the other to move first. Odin is hoping to divide and conquer. Thor's unit on the little moon is a baiting ploy, designed to lure Jotunnheim's army away from their home world so that Odin may strike at the heart of the enemy. If Jotunnheim doesn't take the bait, then they will eventually lose the moon by default. The longer the Asgardians occupy this land the more it will be seen as Asgard's property. Sooner or later Jotunnheim will have to launch an attack. They need this little moon. It provides the Jotunn people with half of the planet's food. Without it their people will starve.

Three weeks go by where Thor and Loki perform a daily routine that would feel natural and domestic, if Loki wasn't also always chained in some way. Loki knows that Thor is touching himself when he is bathing to avoid touching her. The past couple of nights it seemed as though Thor's resolve was about to break. His whole body is tense when she bathes him now. It is as much torture as it is pleasure and Thor's hands ball up into fists to avoid satisfying his need on Loki. He is ready. She just needs to give him that little push. She just needs to consider how she will do it. Their little routine has gotten a little boring. They need a new activity.

Loki re-enters the tent as Thor is done bathing and masturbating. She'd made her touches extra sensual during his scrub down tonight. His breath is still jagged.

"Thor your beard needs a good trimming and your hair is too long to let it be loose like it is all the time. Do you have a grooming kit?" She asks innocently.

"Aye I do….somewhere." Thor looks confused for a moment as he tries to remember where it is. He unlocks the chest with all the papers and digs through it to the very bottom and pulls out a leather pouch that looks like it hasn't seen the light of day in a century. Thor places it on the table and unrolls it. It contains a small pair of scissors, a comb, and long razor, and a mirror. All of the pieces look neglected, but Loki will make it work.

"Sit down." She says gently to him. Thor eagerly takes a seat and Loki grabs the comb and starts working through Thor's ratty hair. What a mess. Some of the snarls are so bad Loki gives up and grabs the scissors. She makes clicking sounds with her tongue, deriding him for his lack of care. Honestly, what would he do if she wasn't here taking care of him? Thor hisses and winces more than once before she is done, but at least his hair is now presentable and braided back to prevent future snarls. Now that beard. Loki would much prefer him clean shaven but knows that taking the straight razor to his throat is a stretch too far in trust…and would kill the mood. She does the best she can with just the comb and scissors and before long he is looking neat and clean and like the royal prince that he is.

"How do I look?" He asks when she is done.

"See for yourself." She says and presents him with the mirror. Thor must admit he does look much better. He hadn't realized how much he let his appearance go since coming here. Then again, there are so many more important things to worry about besides his appearance.

"Thank you Loki, I am grateful to you." He says with a smile. "Would you like to read more poetry tonight?" Thor says sweetly expecting the answer to be yes. But Loki doesn't answer him straight away. Instead she climbs into the space between the table and Thor's chest, straddling his lap. She entangles both of her hands into his hair and stares deeply into this eyes. The gaze she gives him is fathomless and filled with anticipation.

"Not particularly." She says with her lips just a hair's breadth away from Thor's. Thor's cock hardens immediately. Loki knows because she can feel it under her thigh. Loki shifts her weight slightly, giving it a little friction and Thor gasps.

"Loki…." Thor says with great fear and desperation.

"It's alright Thor, I want this." Loki takes the lead. She kisses him slowly and sweetly, letting her fingers wander to all the sensitive places she has gotten to know. Thor's arms come about her and he stands abruptly to carry her to the bed. They can hear the clinking of the ankle chain as he does so. He sets her down on the bed and begins undressing her. A soft smile graces Loki's face encouraging him to continue. He gets her boots and then her tunic off. He gets down on his knees at the edge of the bed to remove her britches. Loki feels a little trepidation and confusion at the position he is in. She's not sure what he is doing down there. Now naked before him Thor grabs Loki under knees and pulls her towards him and tosses her legs over his shoulders. He uses his hands to spread her thighs wide and Loki gasps at the vicinity of Thor's mouth to her most intimate of places. She's not sure what it is he is going to do. Aesir have some strange mating practices. Thor leans in and licks her center.

"Ah! Thor no…..it's dirty down there!" Loki exclaims with shock and embarrassment.

"Oh my lady, you are not dirty. You taste of the sweetest honey wine." He says and leans back in latches on to her clitoris, sucking roughly.

"AH! Loki leans back on the bed and arches her back at the sheer magic happening between her legs. Loki has touched herself before but it has never felt like this. She is moaning with loud abandon and completely forgets than every single person in the camp can probably hear her. Her mind is fuzzy. She has lost the ability to think.

Thor presses a finger inside her and strokes her gently. He isn't just going to rut her. He is going to make love to her, slowly and deliberately so that she knows the depths of his passions for her that lay within his heart. He wishes this could be their wedding night. The war has complicated many things. Thor thinks on the words that were shared between Sif and Loki. Sif told him all about Loki's little rant. He found, secretly, that he did not disagree with her. Though he did not dare voice such a truth to his friends or the soldiers around him. Thor sticks his tongue deep inside Loki to taste her and feels the quivering of her womb. She comes with a yell and gush of the sweet nectar that Thor enjoys so much.

She lays there panting for a moment, listening to the rain and thunder outside. Odd, it doesn't normally rain this time of year. Thor climbs up on the bed and they reposition themselves with Thor on top of her. His large muscled golden body encases hers and for the first time in a long time she feels safe from all harm. His large red cock pulses with blood and want. Thor searches Loki's eyes for any hint of hesitation, but finds none. He sees only eagerness.

He positions his cock at her entrance and slowly starts sliding in. Loki gasps, clinging to Thor's back as she braces herself. She feels so impossibly full. She can't imagine what it would have felt like if she'd tried to mate with a member of her own race. Her velvety walls feel like pure blissful pleasure and Thor is overcome with emotion.

"I love you." He confesses with his eyes full of tears. He chants the three powerful little words as he rocks into Loki, desperate to know that she believes him and feels the same way. Her heart bursts with the warmth of his gaze and deep inside she knows that she loves him too. She whispers it back into the shell of his right ear and their desire explodes into a fit of messy kissing and pounding thrusts. The wind outside is howling, matching Thor's growls and grunts as his makes love to his lady of the water. His Jotunn mermaid.

Thor holds on for as long as he can. He does not want to come until she does. He pinches one of her nipples and rolls the sensitive bud between his fingers. Loki squeals from the electric bolt of sweet pleasure/pain that rockets straight to her vagina. She comes hard.

"THOOOOOOORRRRRRRR!" She cries. The sight of her, the smell of her, the feel of her climaxing around him finishes Thor. He comes as well.

"LOOOOKKKIIIIII!" He bellows. Loki tightens her legs around Thor's hips as his white hot seed fills her. They kiss again and then gaze into each other's eyes, panting their exhaustion.

"I need you in my life." Thor whispers.


	8. Chapter 8

The following morning everyone in the camp gets to work on cleaning up the mess from the storm the night before. Loki's storm. Everyone heard them, well at least the loud parts anyway. Thor feels embarrassed, but he's not sorry. But the coldness of reality presses on Thor as he realizes that he's in love with the Jotunn princess, who by all rights should be dead by now. Whether Odin believes her dead or has simply forgotten her, Thor does not know. At some point she will come up in conversation. King Laufey will want to know the fate of his daughter, win or lose. Thor becomes sick with worry as he realizes that there is no scenario in which she remains by his side. If Jotunnheim wins, she goes home. If Asgard wins, Thor does not know what his father will do with her. Panic sets.

Thor must speak with his father about Princess Loki. He must make him see that a political marriage could end the war before it has even started. Both sides are locked in a stale mate at the moment. He must act quickly to stop the bloodshed. Thor sits down at the table in his tent and begins writing a long letter to his father. When he finishes it he looks at it with doubt. Thor knows that only confrontation will come from it. He crumples it up and growls in frustration. Loki, who has been watching him silently speaks up.

"Thor, what troubles you my love?" She says softly.

"I need your guidance Loki. I do not know how to proceed." Thor says like a lost child.

"Yes you do. You do but you are afraid of what you must do." Loki says firmly. When Thor does not respond she continues. "The one common denominator in all of this…is your father. He is the reason I was tossed into a harlot's robe instead of a wedding gown. He is the reason we are on this moon burning down buildings instead of creating a stronger alliance. He is the reason we cannot be together, and he will ultimately be the reason for someone you love dying. Be it me, one of your friends, or your countrymen. Someone you love is going to die and it will be Odin's fault, because this war is completely unnecessary. NOW….What are you going to do about it Thor?"

"What do you MEAN, DO about it?" He says accusatorily.

"Your father has gone mad, you know this though you refuse to acknowledge it. Tell me Thor what recourse do you have to taking the throne of Asgard when the King is so plainly incapacitated?"

"None. Only those closest to him know that his grip on reality is fading. Outwardly, to the rest of the people, he is the same strong beloved King they have known their whole lives."

"Is his death the only way you can ascend to the throne?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to ask yourself what you are willing to kill for." Loki says resolutely. Thor feels a pit swell within his heart hearing his mother's own words echoed out of Loki's mouth. Frigga knew. She didn't intervene because she knew things would turn out this way. Frigga knew that the only way to end this war is by Thor killing his own father. The truth of it solidifies in Thor's stomach and he doubles over and vomits.

Loki rubs his back soothingly but is interrupted when Thor stands up abruptly and marches out of the tent. The wind has picked up again, and the men can tell it is because of Thor. The look on his face is etched like stone. He proceeds to the construction area, finding a slew of slaves chopping the timber to fit it to size. Thor picks up one of the axes and takes out his anger and frustration on the solid oak. The behavior of their prince disturbs the men and before long Sif and the Warriors 3 appear at Thor's side.

"Lover's quarrel got you down?" Fandral says trying to lighten the mood. It doesn't work.

"Thor lad, it is plain that you have something on your mind. Might we go somewhere to discuss it?" Thor glowers at them and keeps swinging the axe.

"Thor!" Sif admonishes him. "You are scaring the men."

"They should be scared." Thor says as he keeps chopping wood. Sif and the others gesture for the other soldiers and slaves to vacate the area. Once they have established relative privacy, Sif asks him what is on everyone's mind.

"We heard you and Loki in the tent last night. Everyone did. It would be one thing if you had treated her like the thrall that she is and were simply rutting her. But you've never treated her as a thrall and the storm last night proves that you feel something for this girl. The men think you are fraternizing with the enemy." Sif finishes. It gets Thor's attention.

"Perhaps I am." Thor says quietly.

"Thor! You cannot let her sway your decisions. It is treason!" Volstagg says.

"Why are we here? Can any one of you answer that honestly? Thor counters.

"It is not our place to ques…." Fandral begins but is cut off by Thor.

"No but it IS MY PLACE to question. As the future king of Asgard it is my duty to learn how to be a good king. To learn diplomacy and AVOID war so that I may spare my people the horrors of it. Again I ask you why are we here?" Thor says. His friends all stand there in silence, too afraid to speak out loud the truth that is apparent to them. There is no reason for them to be here. This war is a farce.

"Loki and I could end the war TODAY. We could marry, forming a political allegiance. We could end this war before there is any bloodshed. I wrote my father a letter this morning explaining as much. But I threw it away because I knew, I know that my father has lost all reason. He is no longer fit to be king." Thor says the last under his breath.

"SHHH! Thor, our gatekeeper will hear you! Such traitorous thoughts are grounds for execution."

"Execution? I am his only heir, whom will he replace me with?" Thor asks.

"As you said, your father has lost all reason. He will not consider that as he orders your death." Hogun says.

"Then….perhaps….It is I that should act first." Thor says firmly. A chill goes over the group, including Thor himself. He finally said the thing he fears most. That he needs to kill his father for the sake of the safety of the nine realms and for the people he loves. Fandral looks stunned, while Sif and Volstagg look afraid. Hogun just continues to wear the same grim face he always wears.

"Thor, you are a good man. You love your father. You could never do such a thing. It would destroy your heart." Sif says.

"Then pray that the war takes him before I do." Thor responds. "You all know what it is I must do now. You all have a decision to make. You have all sworn vows to my father. You are good and honorable people. But there is nothing good or honorable about this war. Innocents will die because of my father's madness. You must each ask yourselves if committing evil in the name of fealty and loyalty is an honorable thing. I say it is not. Make your choice." Thor puts the axe down and walks back to his tent.

Thor knows that speaking such things out loud is dangerous. Heimdall almost certainly heard every word he said. Thor reassures himself that his friends are smart people capable of making ethical decisions. He's got youth on his side. Sooner or later Odin will succumb to death, be it by blade or from old age. As future King of Asgard, aligning themselves with Thor is the intelligent thing to do, he tells himself.

Thor re-enters the tent to find Loki lounging on the bed. He loves her but for once he wishes he truly had some time alone to think, but that is not possible in this place. Loki seems to sense his need, however, to be alone with his thoughts. She does not speak to him, but lets him wander within his own mind. She knows he has a lot to think about. They spend the remainder of the day in complete silence. Loki sits on Thor's bed with a deck of cards, playing a game of solitaire. It keeps her busy. Thor looks over his maps, and various correspondences. He pulls out the paper and ink well and writes his father another letter. Though he has very little faith his father will agree to his idea, he must make the effort and send the letter anyway.

Thor walks outside to the spot where all their supplies are delivered by Bifrost and pins the letter to the ground with a rock. He steps back. "Heimdall, please take this letter to my father." Thor shouts at the sky. He waits patiently for the light to come down from the sky, but it never does. Thor becomes alarmed.

"Captain!" Thor shouts at his Captain of the Guard. "Did we receive any shipments from Asgard today?"

"No my Prince. The Bifrost has not lit up our skies in two days, but we haven't had need to send or receive anything either." The man says.

"Two days." Thor mutters to himself. There is only one reason Heimdall would not open the gate to his request. Asgard is under attack.


	9. Chapter 9

Another two days pass without word from Asgard. Thor and his men are marooned on this moon and he is not even sure if the ship orbiting above in space is still there. With Asgard under attack, it may well have left to defend their home. Thor has been on edge this entire time and the intensity of the stress is wearing down everyone. Loki knows time is running out. They have only mated once and odds are she is not with child. They need to mate again. If this war does not go Jotunnheim's way, she will need a child of Thor growing in her womb to save her life. It is morning and Thor has returned from the chow tent with her food allotment and water, but she doesn't let him leave.

"Thor my love, come here." She says softly. A small smile flits across Thor's face. His whole body is heavy with the weight of his burdens. She reaches up and cups his face and plants a sweet kiss upon his lips. She starts touching him in all the right places to entice him into further action, but Thor pulls back.

"Now is not the time for this. Your people could show up at any moment. I must be ready."

"Now is all we have Thor, because when my people show up we will most assuredly be ripped apart, one way or another. Make love to me while you still can." She says. It is all the excuse Thor needs to hear.

They undress and get down to it. Thor kisses her roughly and with urgency. He plunges two fingers between her folds to stroke her until she is slick. Loki grunts and moans in a low quiet voice. She doesn't want the rest of the camp to know what they are up to in here. She's still embarrassed from their last coupling.

Thor pulls his fingers out of her and puts them to her lips.

"Suck. I want you to taste yourself." He says gruffly. Loki obeys and opens her mouth. The taste is musky and salty and the essence of desire. Thor's eyes are burning holes into her own as he watches her. He extracts his fingers from her mouth and replaces them with his tongue. She tastes like ice water, frost lilies, and love.

Thor reaches down between them and takes his length in hand and places it at her entrance, and pushes in. Loki buries her head in Thor's neck to stifle a moan. They rock together purposefully, knowing this will most likely be their last time together like this. Loki wants to cry. She never thought she'd find love in the arms of an Aesir. There was a time when she thought she'd be stuck a virgin for the whole of her life. She now understands that she was always destined to be mated with another that is not of Jotunnheim. She hopes that when this is all over she and Thor are still alive and able to be together.

Thor growls into the pillow Loki's head is laying on as he pounds into her pussy. The only noise filling the tent is the wet sloppy sound of Thor's thrusting. Loki digs her nails into Thor's back as her orgasm builds. She whimpers quietly as she comes. Thor feels her walls clamp down on his cock and he comes as well. He pumps his seed deep into her womb, hoping it will flower with life. He wants her. He wants her like this the rest of his life, beside him in his bed, and swelling with his children.

They lay there for a few minutes panting and resting before getting up and getting dressed again. Thor leaves the tent to see to his duties and Loki bathes herself quickly before eating her breakfast. The waiting continues, but not for long.

Thor is overseeing the placement of the last timber of the outer wall when the sky lights up with the Bifrost. Thor is relieved at first until he sees what touches down in front of his men. Thor's heart leaps into his throat as he looks up at King Laufey. The wall his men have been spending so much time and energy erecting around the camp has been a waste. That which was supposed to keep the enemy out is now keeping his men trapped within. Thor grips Mjolnir in his right hand knowing that these are going to be his last moments of his life. The number of Jotunn soldiers vastly outnumber his own, not to mention their size as well. Never in the history of Asgard has its army ever surrendered. It has retreated, regrouped, and in many instances it has perished, but never has it surrendered, until today.

Thor hears his men scrambling behind him to get into position, but he knows it is pointless. There is a tense moment of silence as Thor and Laufey size each other up. Thor's men are doomed. The fact that Laufey arrived by Bifrost means that Asgard is in shambles, defeated. Thor doesn't know the fate of his parents or his people, but he can try to save the lives of those that are with him now.

Thor takes a knee and speaks the words that have never before been spoken by a prince of Asgard.

"I surrender."

"Where is my daughter son of Odin?" Laufey demands as he towers over the prince. Thor hands the key to Loki's chains to one of his men and orders him to fetch her from the tent. She runs to her father, jumping up into his arms. "My precious snowflake, are you harmed?"

"No father, I am well."

"Get behind me while dispatch this spoiled prince."

"No father! Don't! Take him prisoner, as I was taken. Treat him with the same accord that he has treated me." She says. "We can use him as a bargaining chip later."

"That will not be necessary. Odin and Frigga have been captured and will be put to death. Asgard is in ruin. Thor's death will leave his kingdom without a ruler. It is to the benefit of Jotunnheim that he die."

"I want revenge." She says. "Please father. Let me have him." She begs. Laufey looks at his beloved little girl. He can deny her nothing.

"So be it." Laufey says. He turns to Thor. "I will accept your surrender on the following conditions: You will leave your hammer behind here on this ground and go with my men. You will not put up a fight. We will enslave you as you have enslaved my daughter. Every cruelty she endured, so shall you. Do this and the lives of your men will be spared. These are the terms that I allow for your surrender. Do you accept them?"

"Yes." Thor puts Mjolnir on the ground and walks towards the Frost Giants. Ice cuffs are formed and placed around Thor's wrists. The frost giants do not have an all seeing god of their own like Heimdall to rely on for the use of the Bifrost. The Jotunar must rely on technology to communicate with their men in Asgard. Thor's men are corralled into small groups and one by one are sent back home to pick up the pieces of their ruined kingdom. When all of them are finally gone, Thor, King Laufey, and Loki go up into the Bifrost.

They touch down at the gatehouse. At the helm is a frost giant wielding Heimdall's sword. Heimdall himself stands as a frozen statue just off to Thor's left. His brilliant golden eyes dulled and cloudy in the fog of death.

"Look upon your kingdom little prince and see what you and your foolish father have wrought." Laufey pushes Thor towards the Bifrost bridge to look upon Asgard. Where once there was gold, now there is blue and white. Everything is frozen. The land, the people, everything.

"Are there any survivors?" Thor asks.

"Yes. We are not as cruel as the Aesir. We do not slaughter innocent children. They and their mothers were sparred. The only men left were those that surrendered with you. I have brought your people to the precipice of extinction. Asgard will no longer threaten other realms with war."

Tears come to Thor's eyes as he looks upon the horror. He should have killed his father. He should have killed him a long time ago. His parents still live, though for how long he does not know. Thor crumples to the ground and howls with grief. The tears come in unrelenting waves. Loki chokes back tears of her own as she looks out at the destruction. She feels overwhelmed with guilt. A part of her wishing she had not gone to the waterfall that day, maybe this would not have happened. She shakes the thought away. Odin's sanity being what it was, this was bound to happen sooner or later. She cannot blame herself. That way lays madness.

"Ragnarok." Thor whispers.

"Come Prince Thor. Your punishment is just beginning."

"Father wait!" Loki says. She turns to the Jotunn guards in the gatehouse and asks them for a moment of privacy with her father.

"Father, Thor is nothing like Odin. He never harmed me."

"You said you wanted revenge."

"I lied. When Odin declared war on Jotunnheim he had me dressed in the clothing of a whore and tossed into the army barracks for his men to rape. But Thor came and protected me. None of his men dared to touch me. He protected my virtue."

"Did he now? He stopped others from lying with you but did he stop himself?"

"He tried. I seduced him father, with the intention of becoming with child."

"WHY!"

"Thor is nothing like his father. Thor feared his father, but he also loves his father. That is Thor's crime. He has a good and loving soul, and couldn't bring himself to kill Odin, though he knew his mind had fallen into madness. Thor is not the kind to plot treason or mutiny. I opened his eyes to things that he ignored for years. Terrible things that his father's rule made possible. Thor does not desire bloodshed and glory. It is his noble heart that made it possible for him to surrender for the sake of his men, at great cost to himself."

"That does not explain why you tried to breed with him!"

"If the war had not gone our way, I would have been stuck in Asgard, still at the mercy of Odin's whims. Thor loves his family, and I knew the only time Thor would ever kill his father would be to protect his own child. It would have been the push he needed to do what needed to be done."

"And did you succeed?"

"I don't know. The collar around my neck prevents me from using my magic. It is too early to tell by traditional means if I am with child or not."

"So what fate is it that you seek for Thor?"

"Asgard is in shambles as you say, and is no longer a threat to Jotunnheim. But rather than leaving it ungoverned, I would marry Thor and rule at his side as his queen. I would watch over the realm and ensure that no threat ever arises from this place again."

"You would marry your captor?"

"I would marry the man I love father."

"You always were the ambitious one. It is a shame you were not my first born and of normal size."

"What is to become of the King and Queen?" Loki asks Laufey. Laufey stares at Thor hard for a moment. Odin is insane. He's been shouting incoherent ramblings at his men since he was captured. This boy should have intervened. That witch wife of his should have intervened, but they allowed this evil to continue, leading to this apocalypse.

"I will grant you your wish daughter, but only after Odin and Frigga have been executed. They will meet their fate at the hands of Thor."

"NO! No I beg you! I will kill my father for his crimes, but not my mother please! Not her!"

"She like you had the responsibility and the opportunity to stop all of this, and did not. She will be punished accordingly, whether by your hand or mine." With that Laufey beckons the guards back into the gatehouse. The Bifrost is opened and the three of them land in front of the Ice Palace of Jotunnheim. Jotunnheim did not escape the war unscathed. There is death and destruction everywhere. Thor is taken to a separate area and held in a small room for a time, until King Laufey summons him.

Thor enters the great hall of the palace which is filled with the citizens of the city. He is booed and shouted at. They call him murderer and tyrant. Thor's throat closes up as he looks upon his mother and father who are both in the kneeling position and bent over ice blocks. A guard holding a large axe stands ominously nearby. King Laufey stands to speak and the crowd quiets.

"King Odin and Queen Frigga have been found guilty of warmongering and tyranny and will be put to death. Their son too, has been found guilty of the same crime. His punishment will be to carry out the execution of his own parents. Failure to do so will mean his own death. Give him the axe."

The guard holding the axe hands it to Thor and sneers at him. All the other guards in the room raise their ice swords, readying themselves for Thor to retaliate. Loki looks upon the man she loves. Her heart breaks for him. Odin is yelling terrible obscenities. He screams at Laufey, he screams at Thor. Thor stands there for a moment listening to the filth and bile his father is spewing, letting his anger and hatred build.

"…that Jotunn whore planned all of this! You worthless coward! You choose her over me! I should have fucked her when I had the…." WHACK! Thor swings the axe high and hard, bringing it down on his father's neck. The crowd erupts into cheers as Odin's head bounces down upon the ice. His warm blood freezes in layers as it pours out of his body. All goes quiet once again as Thor looks down at his mother. He can't do it. Not her. Thor begins to cry.

"Mother…." He whispers.

"Thor my son, listen to me. This is all my fault. I should have killed your father a long time ago. Our people, our entire kingdom is in ruin because I refused to do what was required. I allowed evil to reign in our land, and looked the other way. I once asked you if you knew what was worth dying for and what was worth killing for. But I am a hypocrite, for I could have saved so many lives if I'd had the wherewithal to slay the man I love. I know you don't want to do this my son, but you must. Your people need you, as does your unborn child. For your own sake as well as the sake of your kingdom, you must swing the axe."

"I cannot." He falls to his knees and sobs.

"My son, I will die today either way. Whether it is you that swings the axe or one of them. My son, I beg you please, live. Live for my sake."

"Mother please, do not ask this of me."

"Loki is a good match for you. She needs you. She needs your love. She carries your son you know. Please, indulge your mother. Let my grandchild grow up knowing his father."

Thor looks up at Loki who is seated beside her father.

"Is it true?" He asks her with tears in her eyes.

"Aye. I am." She says quietly. Thor sits there immobile for what feels like an eternity. He is racked with indecision. His emotions play openly across his face.

"Son of Odin, your time grows short. If you do not swing the axe, my men will, and then your head will be placed on the block as well."

"This is evil too. Can you not see this is evil as well! You would have me slay my own mother to save my skin! Her crime was NOT committing murder!"

"Her crime was allowing your father to continue to rule to the detriment and deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Killing her is YOUR punishment for committing the same offense. You let evil thrive right in front of your own eyes and looked the other way. Prove to me you are worthy of my daughter. Prove to me you will not repeat your father's mistakes. Prove to me you will be a good and just King!"

"Thor my son, he is right. I deserve my punishment, as you deserve yours. Swing the axe, and do it quickly." Frigga beseeches her son. Thor grips the handle of the axe tightly and steps forward. He holds his breath as he speaks.

"I love you mother…."

WHACK.

**This was a hard and painful chapter to write. I wrote it and re-wrote it twice, but decided in the end to not pull any punches. I've already gotten some feedback on other websites from people begging for a sequel. Tell me what you think. I know some will need hugs after reading this one. **


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